Mica Announces Success in Including Simulation Support Language in House Bill

Press Release

Congressman John L. Mica (Winter Park, FL) today included in House-passed legislation a provision to help ensure the future of the simulation industry in Central Florida. This provision was part of the bill to provide funding of the government after March 27's closedown deadline and modify the negative effect of sequestration on defense and veterans' services.

"This is a significant step in retaining a cost-effective military and manpower readiness tool produced by a major local employer; our modeling and simulation industry," said Congressman Mica. "Lt Gen (Ret) Tom Baptiste, President/Executive Director of the National Center for Simulation, Rick Weddle, President and CEO of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Council, and other local leaders from the simulation industry have continued to be powerful advocates for strengthening our nations simulation position and help to ensure high levels of defense readiness and employment in our region and state."

Baptiste added: "As the armed services grapple with maintaining war fighter readiness in this fiscally constrained environment, they should look to simulation devices and other training technologies as cost effective alternatives to the high cost of live training. The proposed language suggests the services should leverage their significant investment in modeling and simulation for training as well as focus future acquisition priorities on meeting the growing readiness challenge."

Congressman Mica has been working with a group of top simulation leaders to advocate for this issue. The group consulted with Florida's U.S. Senators, Members of the Central Florida Congressional Delegation and key national simulation leaders developing a strategy to retain and expand simulation activities that save the Department of Defense money. Through these efforts and with support from the Florida Delegation, including Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Bill Young, the language was included today in the House passed measure that states:

The use of simulation training systems has yielded a military that is better trained, more capable, and more confident as compared to units that do not have access to modern simulation training devices. Simulation training is a cost-effective means by which reserve units can improve tactical decision-making skills and ultimately save lives. It is anticipated that a portion of the funding in the National Guard and Reserve Equipment account will be used to procure a variety of simulation training systems. To ensure the most efficient and effective training programs, these systems should be a combination of both government owned and operated simulators, as well as simulation support from a dedicated commercial activity capable of providing frequent hardware and software updates.

The language appears in H.R.933, the Department of Defense, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act. While the language provided direction to the Guard and Reserve programs, as the legislation moves forward work is underway to expand its scope. The legislation to avert the end of the month government shutdown and modify negative sequestration impacts on the military now heads to the U.S. Senate. The Central Florida Partnership, led by Jacob Stuart and Chamber of Commerce members, head to D.C. next week to advocate for the simulation industry.

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